Subtle biases and microaggressions can create ambiguity in the workplace, leading individuals to question the reasons behind their treatment. By clearly defining success criteria and seeking clarity on expectations, ambiguity can be reduced. Research suggests that women are often rewarded for proven experience while men are rewarded for potential, impacting decisions on promotions. To mitigate ambiguity, it's important to explicitly inquire about promotion criteria and potential areas for improvement. Addressing unfair treatment by invoking fairness in negotiations can help to advocate for equal pay, signaling a clear stance and reducing ambiguity in future interactions.
Sexism is everywhere in workplaces, from people’s expectations about how women look and act to companies’ inadequate or unfair parental leave policies. Still, it can be shocking when you realize—or suspect—that you’re the target of that bias. Perhaps you sense someone is interrupting you over and over because you’re a woman. Or, you receive an end-of-year rating that just doesn’t align with your actual performance, and no one can (or will) explain the discrepancy.
Is there any way to know for sure whether something that a colleague or client did—or neglected to do—is sexism? When is confronting that person worth it? And if you’ll never know what drove their actions, how do you make peace with the uncertainty? Amy G talks through these questions with two professors who study perceptions and gender stereotypes.
Guest experts:
Katie Coffman is an economist and professor at Harvard Business School, where she studies how stereotypes impact our beliefs about ourselves
Michelle Duguid is a professor and the associate dean of diversity, inclusion, and belonging at Cornell.
Resources:
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